Of Tanks and Hunters Sequel
by MaroonNightfury31
Summary: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST. With the military out of the question, the band of Nine survivors must travel across the southern states, hoping North has more promise. They know what can happen, but having a plan and carrying it out are two different things.
1. Prolouge

**I finished the first Of Tanks and Hunters on a bit of a open end. So I had the idea to make a sequel, but I'm not 100% because I don't want the story to become boring. So instead of making a real chapter, I wrote a ****prologue ****to see if you guys liked the idea. The Prologue takes place immediatly where the first ended.**

**Don't read this if you havn't read the first one. I can guarantee it will make little to no sense *-***

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**Chip**

I rolled over, pressing my head against the back of Ellis' shoulder and pulling my arms closer to my chest. A water pipe leaked from the opposite side of the crumbling Minimart, creating several puddles that I watched form. The water mixed with boxes and papers, creating a musky, wet newspaper smell.

I sighed, resting my head on my arm pulling my legs against my stomach. Bill, Coach, and Francis sat off to the side, all three snoring while the rest of us six slept in silence.

Or, I thought.

"Nick." Ellis whispered quietly, almost too quiet to hear. The conman sitting a few inches away didn't move.

"Nick." Ellis whispered again, slightly deeper and louder, but still the man didn't move.

"Ni-i-ick." Ellis drawled the name, trying to wake the man but not everyone else at the same time. I stared at Ellis, wondering what he was doing. Nick turned his head slightly, but not enough to convince me, or Ellis, that he was listening.

"Ni-"

"What, shit, fucking what?" Nick snapped his head up and stared at Ellis, who cringed back.

"Do ya think it will rain?" Ellis asked, not flatly, but slightly quieter now that he knew the Gambler didn't want to hear.

"W-what the fuck does that have to do with anything?" Nick hissed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Do ya think it will?" Ellis asked again, lifting himself to his elbow. I shifted and laid my head on his side, staring at Nick's expression.

"How the hell should I know?...Fine...No, I guess it won't. Happy?" Nick crossed his arm and lightly kicked Ellis' leg with his foot.

"Yeah, I guess." Ellis laid back down, placing a hand on my head.

Nick turned his gaze from Ellis to me, and turned the corner of his mouth in a small smile. "Go to sleep already."

Rochelle chuckled lightly a few feet away, and I tucked my head into Ellis' gray shirt. I really hadn't slept much, and I wasn't going to pass up this chance.

"Shit Francis! Stop snoring!" Nick suddenly shouted, a hard thump and a yell didn't take long to follow.

"Gah! It's not me! It's Coach, goddamn!"

"Knock it off!" Bill shouted. Both Biker and Gambler were cocky and mouthy, but knew better than to bug Bill after a nap.

"Well shit, Nick. You were angry at me for talkin', look at ya." Ellis pipped in, making Rochelle groan.

"Sweety, you're not helping." She whispered.

"Huh-uh."

"Quiet Zoey." Bill snapped. Coach and Louis were the only two who hadn't said anything, and I was debating whether or not to sleep over with them.

I put my arms over my head and growled. Making them freeze. With them or not, Hunter sounds were Hunter sounds.

Ellis chuckled, kicking Nick's foot. "Well, I'm goin' to sleep."

"Yeah, 'cause I haven't been trying..." Nick whispered.

Sighing, I listened to them all fall back asleep, or I hoped. The water pipe had stopped to a small leak, the water tank somewhere below the store running empty. Ellis' hat had fallen off his head and was now laying several inches away. The blue bill taking a darker hue. I listened to the last few drops of the water pipe fall, just as Francis sat up.

"Now I have'ta p-"

"Don't you even say it." Coach stated blankly. "I know what yer gonna say, and none of us wanna hear it."

"What a fun road trip this'll be." Nick pitched in, sliding down the wall to lay on his side. I sighed louder, bordering another growl.

"Why is Chip the most mature one here?" Rochelle asked quietly.

"Because he can't talk." Louis chuckled.

The pipe had now stopped, and they had gone quiet. With nine people I knew it wouldn't last long. Covering my ears and burying my head into the fabric of Ellis' shirt, I drowned out their small arguments and comments, slowly drowning into sleep.

Tomorrow, we would continue our way to Tennessee. Were we going to cover a lot of ground in our progress? Probably not.

* * *

**Should I continue? **


	2. Of Pharmacys and Vents

**Phew, 3:00am and its done!**

* * *

I ducked, falling over the side of the building's wall and held on with my fingers. The rock fell over my head, knocking into a few fallen bricks behind me. I peeked over the side of the cracked bricks, making sure Francis was out of a 'ammunition'.

He was already waiting for me, holding another stone that went soaring over, missing my head by a mere inch.

"Strike!"

"You didn't even hit him." Louis pointed out, having stopped some way ahead when he saw we weren't following. Francis picked up another stone just a I scrambled over the wall and dashed across the road, taking a rock to the leg first.

"Leave 'im alone!" Ellis shouted, catching me as I ran behind his legs.

"What? He threw one first!" Francis chuckled, holding his arms open in defense. Looking around, the other five survivors had walked some ways ahead, none of them bothering to watch how far behind we were.

Bill finally turned around, making the others stop with him. "I would like to cross the damn street before night fall! Get up here!" He shouted across the distance, waving his hand. I was the first to run over, deciding I would rather be ahead of Francis.

In the course of three days we were now in slightly past the middle of Mississippi, with the intentions of reaching the corner of the state into Tennessee, where we would follow the Tennessee River into Kentucky.

The Military had abandoned the land as soon as the major cities were evacuated-or lack thereof. The farther we walked the cleaner things got. Louisiana had been reduced to ashes, and the far end of Mississippi wasn't much better. Now whole buildings stood, the road was intact, the only fires and craters were created from cars exploding.

The Military bombs hadn't reached this far, so the North seemed somewhat of a promising plan.

Francis' terms of 'playing' were some what crueler then mine, and I had to look over my shoulder several times to make sure he didn't have another rock. The Mississippi heat had diminished from the oven it had been before, and small, dark clouds were gathering in the distance.

I caught up to Rochelle, who was walking quietly next to Coach. The smaller woman looked down at me and smiled. "He's just a big bully." She chuckled, looking back at Francis who narrowed his eyes.

The road was opening up to more buildings, a small town just visible. Coach asked me to run ahead, since Infected wouldn't pay any attention to me. "See if ya can find a gun store or somethin'"

I bounded ahead, suddenly conscious of the sound my hands and feet made. Every tap of my claws were louder to me then they really were. The town was quiet, a few papers rolled down the road and the cord from an electric pole twisted to the ground. A few bodies and smashed cars were scattered around the street, but it was quiet. I looked back and forth across the street, reading the store signs.

A small grocery store. A post office. A small police station on fire. Nothing usable. I continued down the road, looking over my shoulder to see the other eight people, a rather good distance away, getting closer. The road split into four ways, the left seeming to run into a neighborhood. The right was hidden by trees that lined the road. I continued forward, carefully looking over each building and around each car.

Turning the corner, half of the road gave way to dirt that held tire tracks to a white shed. The other half continued down the town. Looking up, I stopped, catching the worn red and yellow sign. "Fred's Express Pharmacy."

I looked through the dark glass, shielding my eyes, seeing no moving forms or lights. The door was shut, seeming as if no one had made the connection they would need antibiotics or painkillers for anything. I pushed against it, then pulled, but it stayed shut.

I walked back around the street and sat in the intersection, waiting for them to catch up. Ellis saw me waiting, and jogged the distance to me. "Find anythin' Pup?" He panted, fixing his hat.

I grunted, turning to lead him back down the road. "Whoa, wait." Ellis had to jog again to keep up. Turning the corner, I sat in front of the door, waiting for Ellis to run around. "Shit, Chip, no need to go so fast." He nearly ran into me, thinking he had lost me. We stared at one another for a moment. My lack of words leaving him to figure it out himself. He looked across the street, down at me again, and than finally at the store front.

"Pharmacy, huh? Shit, we coul' use the bandages." He pushed against the door, making it rattle but not budge. "Huh? Do ya think it was locked?" He shook the handle to see if it would turn. The handle stuck mid turn. "We can' break in. There might be an alarm."

I stared wide eyed at him, than backed up to get in line with the roof. A ventilation pipe stuck up. With a hard kick I leaped to the edge of the building, looking down at Ellis, frowned slightly. "What're you doin'?"

I quickly walked over to the pipe, looking down and huffing once or twice. I clawed at the dried glue seal that closed the sun-baked cracks around it. I raked the sealant off and tried to yank the pipe over, knowing that it was just an extension of the vents inside. Ellis said something below, but the sound of metallic scraping was too loud.

Ripping the pipe way, taking a few inches of the roof with it, I could see the vents open wider, and I quickly slid in. The sheet metal rattled, but didn't cave under my weight. I wormed my way a few feet, reaching a vent opening. The vent was square, about the size of the rectangular lights. I pushed against it, feeling the metal under my body bend slightly.

The vent cracked slightly, and I froze. I moved forward, to put more weight were it wasn't bending. I looked behind and in front of me, seeing only darkness, and the inside was no better. I thought about the sewer back in New Orleans, the one I had traveled down to see for any way out. Since the horde in front of us had been to big to take on with the ammo we had had at the time.

I remembered that something could have been following me then, and I suddenly became very aware of the fact that something could be in here. With me.

Feeling the tight sides close in too quickly, I made to back up, the metal creaking and bending underneath me.

**Nick**

"Ellis? What are you doing?" Rochelle asked, turning the corner to see the Hick sitting on the curb.

"Waiting for Chip." He pointed to the building, fixing his hat and looking back at his boots.

"Where is he?" I asked, looking through the dark window. Louis and Zoey sat next to Ellis to rest.

"I dunno. He disappeared on the roof."

"Pharmacy, huh? Worth checkin' out." Coach turned the handle, pushing against it with his shoulder when it didn't budge. He shoved against it a little harder, shaking the frame and not long after busting it open. He held out his arm, suggesting I go first. I smirked and walked past. "Beauty before age."

"That's not the sayin'" He whispered quietly, not wanting Rochelle to hear.

"It is now."

Stepping over a fallen box, I surveyed the room, coughing from the dust that floated into my nose.

"I hate pharmacies." Francis kicked aside some papers and looked at a few bottles. The shelves mainly consisted of things like Advil and things you didn't need a prescription for. Louis grasped a plastic bag from behind the counter, and opened it to see what was inside. No sooner he slammed his hand against the counter. "Shh!"

I froze, slowly putting a box of Wheat Thins back on the shelf. A dull thumping made me look up, the vent echoed a shuffle or two. "What the hell?" I turned my body to look at a better angle, the dark ceiling suddenly bent oddly as something inside squawked loudly. The ceiling caved just above me, a small dark form slammed against my shoulders and shoved me to the ground with a loud howl.

I laid on the floor for several seconds, the weight of Chip on my chest didn't move until Coach picked him up. "Hi Chip." I sighed, closing my eyes as my head stopped spinning.

"He musta been tryin' to unlock the door from the inside." Ellis reached a hand out, yanking me to my feet.

"That was funny." Francis grabbed the box of Wheat Thins and threw them at Zoey.

"Shut up Monkey." I hissed, moving to the back of the store. The actual 'pharmacy' consisted of nothing but three or four shelves of little bottles and bags. I yawned and picked the first two up. "Pain pills. Sleeping pills. Ointment...No thanks..." I threw the first few to Louis, who was looking through several boxes of different badges.

"Uh, waterproof or sticky?" He asked, holding up the first two.

"Sticky. It doesn't rain in the South." Zoey called from the other end.

"Did you really forget about almost drowning in those swamps? Both." Bill called over her. Chip had jumped onto the top of a shelf and was surveying the progress. His deep green eyes locked on me for a second, and he jumped back to the ground. Slipping on a few papers that sent him flat on his side. I chuckled, watching him slide back up. No more than 115 pounds, he fell pretty hard.

With a small bark he jumped the counter, and the young teen began to walk the shelves for any other medicine. Ellis walked over, throwing me the box of crackers. "Dinner."

I caught the already half empty box, tossing him the bottles. Chip appeared around the corner, wide eyes staring at me and then the box. I smirked and pulled out a handful, giving them to the kid and moving back around the counter. The light was already starting to fade, and I couldn't believe the day had gone by so quick.

"We can stay here tonight." Bill slid down the wall, sighing as he passed another box of food around. Chip was already laying next to Ellis before I even sat down. I stretched my legs, purposefully kicking Francis' shin.

"Ow."

"Baby."

"Boys." Rochelle blankly called, not even looking up. "Can we please have one night without that please?"

Francis crossed his arms, looking at me, and back to his feet. "Well, if Nick would stop kicking me-"

"Francis!"

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**I'm not lying when I say there really is a Freds Express Pharmacy in that part of Mississippi. Thank you Google Maps.**


	3. Of Bodies and Blood

**I had this done a day or two ago, but our we could only get internet on the main computer so I couldn't get to my documents. **

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The mornings in Mississippi bordered cold, but centered around the fact that it would always be hot, no matter the weather. I was continuously waking earlier than I hoped for. Most mornings the sky was still the deep baby blue and with hues of orange and pink when I woke up.

Rubbing my eyes, I looked at my teammates, all sleeping in various positions against the wall and floor. Ellis was against the corner, and what caught my eye was the lack of green against him that Chip added. I looked around the Pharmacy, thinking maybe he had gotten up to grab something off the shelve, but the small Hunter was missing.

Knowing how Ellis felt about his kid going missing, I silently considered going to find him, but I stayed planted on the hard floor. He wandered a lot. That's all it was, he'd come back. If he was as airy as his eyes made him out to be, he probably walked around and got lost.

I chuckled, realizing how worried I was about a _Hunter. _Of course, he really didn't look like one without his jacket. If we somehow got him to walk on his legs instead of all-fours and hid his claws, no one would even know.

I stretched my hands above my head, aware of the tight pull on my shoulder. Brushing back the hair that fell into my face, I stood, looking out the window. The very appearance of the town screamed 'morning'. I stepped over the papers and boxes, freezing when Coach shifted in his sleep. The man was usually second to wake, him or Bill anyway, and I didn't feel like explaining why I was leaving. Innocent with good intentions or not. He'd use it against me.

I had never given much thought to how the very atmosphere changed throughout the course of the day. In the morning it was light and cold. The sky was light blue with the sun just coming up, and even the still air seemed to make a sound. A low hum.

Putting my hands in my pockets, I walked down the sidewalk, vary aware of how similar it felt to walking to work. I had hated my job. It was boring and low paying. It was a wonder I had kept the house as long as I did. The boss was an ass anyway. Of course I hadn't lived in a town like this. So that was a nice scenery change.

It wasn't some young town that had just sprung up recently. It wasn't like I could guess by its physical state right now, but the signs, roads, and buildings were older. Some were new, probably having replaced whatever had been there, or was an empty lot bought not long ago.

Despite the crashed vehicles, smashed buildings, trash, fires, and bodies, it was almost peaceful to walk through. I almost didn't blame Chip for disappearing in it.

After walking for a good five minutes, I realized I had no idea where I was, and I hadn't paid attention on how to get back. A creeping sense of nausea sank into my stomach, causing me to stop and tell myself I was closer to the Pharmacy than I most likely was. Back in Savannah, in that hotel, I had wanted to leave, but now the thought of being alone was literally sickening.

I began to walk quicker, suddenly aware that a horde of zombies could be around the corner. A Smoker could be hiding on a building. A Ta-

No, no, not a Tank. I would have heard him by now. I would have heard a Smoker too. Come to think of it, no Infected was silent, and it was absolutely silent around me. Chip was an Infected. He was very often silent. Hours could go by without a noise, since he was more for physical communication.

Tho only noises I had heard out of him recently were small grunts, growls, and chirps when he wanted your attention.

It was quiet.

I thought about another Hunter pouncing me, and it made me realize how rare Hunters had become. Not long after Ellis went missing back in the swamps we had seen a few, but after we met Chip not one had come along.

"Chip?" I called, looking in the open door of a house. The house was quieter than the world around it. Biting my lip, I stood in the middle of the street, looking around. I was lost and couldn't find who I had even been looking for.

"Shit. For all I know he could be back with them already." I looked at my shoes, deciding I might as well go-try-back, Chip could find us just by hopping a few buildings. I called his name several times, watching for the white shed or red and yellow sign.

I was somewhere between a Bookstore and an auto-store, Listening for the possible calling of whoever noticed we both were gone. Calling Chip's name again, I turned the corner to a small parking lot, a few cars parked where they were meant to be, others were parked where ever deemed fit for the driver.

The building next to it was plain, white with no lettering. None that I could see. Must have been a warehouse or something. Walking across the lot, I looked through car windows, thinking Chip may have gotten up in the middle of the night and slept here instead.

Of course that was a stupid thing to think. If one of us wasn't with him he'd walk back to the Pharmacy.

I passed another set of small homes. Boards and papers were spread across the street and looked to have been tossed out of the open doors. I had the urge to look for any useful supplies, but I really didn't want to stretch my time too far. I stepped over what looked to be a dead cat, the body flattened only once, most likely by the car not far away.

Passing a small sun porch, a terrible odor literally pushed me back farther in the street. I had smelled plenty of dead people, but this far worse. The sun porch connected to an older house, the paint wearing away, but the porch looked new. The door had been slammed so hard it hung half way off the hinges. Blood trailed across the screen door and down the floor, even farther where I couldn't see.

"Jesus..." I pulled my sleeve down my arm and over my nose, having had it rolled up to my elbows. The blue fabric was thin, and didn't stop my nose from burning. Kicking aside some junk on the steps, I slowly walked in, sticking close to the wall to avoid the blood and to keep a better eye on everything in the room.

The smell was putrid, the carpet was deep scarlet from dried blood, and if it hadn't been for the clear corner of the room, I would have never guessed it to have been blue. Looking up, the white walls were horribly scratched. From the front door to the back room. Chunks of the plaster had been torn out from the effort of something holding onto it.

The sun was beginning to shine through the window, and the blood began to glisten, meaning it wasn't that old. The smell sure was. A deep thump came from the back room, something fell and I slammed against the wall, lowering myself to the floor. I shuffled along the floor, trying to make the door quietly, when my hand hit something hard and wet. Reflexes told me to look, my stomach said to keep going.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the shape of bodies on top of bodies. And I knew it was blood I was touching. The immediate sense of panic told me to run. I had nothing on me and something was here, killing and leaving fresher-and older-bodies.

"Shit!" I hissed, slipping to my feet and jumping over the pile. My stomach turned as my feet slid across the blood on the wooden steps, sending me to the floor of the porch. The bottom of my shoes were now slippery, and it was a struggle to get up. I could hear the scraping and clawing of something against the plaster walls, almost frantic.

I had fought zombies without a gun before, but never alone, and the vulnerability I felt nearly surpassed the fear. I slammed my hand against the wooden door frame, hearing claws skid across the wood just behind me. My leg was suddenly pulled back right out from under me, sending me back to the ground.

I rolled to my back, grabbing the arm that had pulled my leg, and the eyes that met mine forced me to shove him off, slamming him to the ground hard by his shoulders.

"Chip, don't you ever do that! Ever!" he squirmed in my grasp but froze, eyes wide with a small howl. "What the hell were you doing in there?" I lifted him by the front of his shirt and forced him to look through the door. He shook his head and tried to pull my hand off his shirt.

"You scared the shit out of me. I could have shot you!" Chip slid down the wall in my grasp, whimpering as my grip got tighter. "You don't just walk off like that. Everyone is probably worried sick about the both of us because you wanted to walk around!" I let go of him and he fell the rest of the way, sliding back up against the wall.

I sighed and looked back at the house. The door had been scratched horrible in Chip's attempt to stop me, and I figured he had been trying to get around all the bodies by climbing the walls.

I stood and walked to the street, not even looking back, knowing all I would see was the pitiful look on Chip's face. "Let's get back to the others. Coach'll have my throat for this you know. I hope your happy."

The air wasn't starting to warm, the sun now just over the tops of buildings. Everyone would be awake now, and no doubt wondering where the hell we were.

**Ellis**

"Where the hell are they?" Rochelle placed her hand above her eyes to shield away the sun light. Neither Nick or Chip were anywhere to be found, and Rochelle was freaking out a little. Of course she was afraid they had been hurt. Not that either would let something happen to the other.

I whistled loudly, knowing Chip would be able to hear it from a greater distance. We had spread out across the main road, calling for each of them. After a few minutes I had the feeling Chip was ignoring us. There was no way he hadn't heard.

The town was all but abandoned. Bodies were scattered here and there, some more in-tacked then others. It was getting hotter, and the smell of rot began to seep up into the air.

"Man, I gotta sneeze somethin' bad." I rubbed my nose and closed my eyes, trying to wait out the horrible sensation that nearly made my eyes water. Rochelle chuckled, looking in the door of a larger corner house. We walked shoulder to shoulder down the road in silence, a large white building cast a shadow over a quiet parking lot, making the town look more dead than it already was.

"Nick." Rochelle called, echoing across the pavement blankly. Her voice carried through the street, but disappeared.

"What?" Came his voice, closer then I would have expected. "What do you want?" Now he was joking with us. Rochelle jogged around the side of the building onto the main street, nearly running into him.

"Where the hell have you been?" She looked him over, inspecting his hands closely at the sight of blood.

"I'd say ask Chip, but I guess you can't." He looked over his shoulder at the teen who was almost sulking. "I went looking for him. He scared the living shit out of me." His voice bordered annoyance as Chip's face filled with guilt. He moved past Nick and stood against my legs, waiting for someone to walk first. on

* * *

**The reason Chip went wandering will come up later.**

**Angry Nick is angry :U**

**And, whoa Fanfiction looks different...**


	4. Of Grass and Horses

**Sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I had to reboot my computer back to its "First use" because I couldn't open the internet or anything and it was the only thing to fix it. But I saved my stories so it wasn't a big issue.**

* * *

**Chip**

I was never the type of person that could handle a raised voice. Having always been a quiet child, I was never yelled at often, leaving me vulnerable to the sound.

It could easily be said that Nick was rather good and making you guilty. At first he just ignored me, as if startling him removed me from his memory on his own demand. He would then look back at me without mucj expression. A simple look over and he would draw his attention away.

I admit I had startled him more than I had meant. Of course my intention had been to simply let him know it had been me. Once he realized it, he had been no where near relieved. Once Rochelle and Ellis had found us we had made our way back to the others. Bill wasn't overly joyed since we had cost them all traveling time, but he waved us off and he and Coach took their usual place at the front of us all, Ellis and I not far behind.

We were getting closer to the Tennessee River by now. Any Town we came across was either abandoned or closed off by road blocks. One town had razor fences, blockades and more then several signs of warning. It wasn't a large town, being able to see it end from end once I jumped onto a tall enough building, but we were forced to walk around it, every inward street blocked in the same way.

The ground around the streets were unkept and plants had overgrown fences and other structures. The South was known for it's more open land, but it was almost a chore to walk over the brush and grasses. Several times I had walked along the fence, hoping to get a better veiw of the town to see what had really caused such a strong protection. Zombies were one thing but this was more than the military had ever done.

I had easily pounced back and forth across the blockades, doing my best to avoid the wire. Once the cement wall disappeared I jumped back into the grass, but was unable to see how long it really was. With a howl I disappeared, tangled in the overgrown foliage. Righting myself I felt my face grown warm, having that been about the third time.

I was in the lead a good ways, the town limits already in sight with, with the others a good 100 feet behind me. The road burned my hands and feet as I walked it, suddenly aware that it was nearing high noon. The green fabric of my shirt felt hot against my back, and the exesive walking on all fours was beginning to make my back ache.

A sharp whistle made me turn, realizing I had walked down a small incline and was no longer in sight of my group. Turning on my heels I bounded back in their direction. The whistle had come from Ellis, tilting his hat up to clear his eyes. The Southerner waved as I came back into sight, somewhat easing his grip on the blunt metal rod he had found some way back.

He had become overly paranoid about being out of sight of me. Past events couldn't make me blame him. Nick was farther behind, and I could feel his eyes shoot at me before he looked away.

"There ya are. Any way over that fence?" He pointed his rod, beginning to walk again. The unattended grass came knee high to the nearing-six-foot Southerner, all but swallowing me and forcing me to stand on my back legs and jump to keep up. Seeing the shake of my head, he sighed, swinging the stick of metal across his shoulder.

"Find somethin' boy?" Now it was Coach, stopping to twist his head to either side to for his neck to pop.

"Nuthin'" Ellis responded.

"It's gonna get dark soon. If we can't get into town we're sleepin' outside." Bill explained, slinging the plastic shopping bag over his shoulder. Filled with various foods and medicines we had gathered at the Pharmacy. We stood and waited for everyone else to catch up, our group of nine had spread out in a lengthy line.

Bill explained the situation and sent me ahead to find anything that would work as shelter for the night, and they followed behind at a good distance.

The closed off town was mostly surrounded by fields. Whether they were livestock fields or not I couldn't tell. The grass was too long and no animals walked about. Very few trees were dotted around, mostly scraggly or dying from the lack of rain from the South this time of year.

Pouncing my way to a promising clump of the dehydrated plants, I could see they formed a working wall that would be fine for the night. But whether zombies were in sight or not, we would need someone to keep watch.

The other Survivors had fallen out of sight again, more from the small hills that anything, and I had to climb the highest tree in order to come into mutual sighting.

Francis stopped and stared at me for a moment, the distance and fading light making it slightly harder to see. I waved one of my arms, the other and my legs clinging to the thin tree as it began to sway and lean a little too far to the left with my weight.

I stayed at the top until they came close enough, then climbing down and sitting cross-legged, I waited for them to settle. Light still barely clung to the sky, we passed a bag of food, some sort of sour tasting chip bag, around to kill some time.

With a small sigh, I leaned against Ellis' side. His arm lifted around me, leaning his head against the tree with a sigh. Everyone found someway to get comfortable on the dry grass. The heat of the day beginning changing to a slightly chilling breeze.

With a small growl, Francis rolling onto his back. "Ugh, I hate the Earth."

Louis chuckled from the small rock he sat on, keeping watch first. With nine people, the night couldn't be split evenly. So Zoey figured to just keep track and take turns on different nights. Louis, Rochelle, and I had this night.

The moon was huge, facing the wall the trees made, breaking through the leaves and creating a shadow that made me more sleepy.

Louis' hand shook through the hair on my head, shocking me awake in thinking something had attached from above.

Or a bug had landed on my head.

I didn't like that thought either.

Louis pointed his thumb to the rock, and with a heavy sigh I slid Ellis' shoulder off of mine and stiffly crawled to the rock like a wounded animal. Louis chuckled somewhere from the leaves, making me smirk.

Curling against the cold surface, I breathed through my nose, watching the dirt move with my breath.

I was being a very good Look Out. Considering I was laying down with the grass blinding my view from every direction. Laying there for some time I simply listened, digging one of my claws into the dirt to see how deep it would go. I was honestly bored, deciding nothing interesting was going to happen. Closing my eyes, I felt myself go to the point of nearly asleep but not quiet. The sounds still hitting my ears but not really registering.

A deep huff made my eyes flash open, and hot breath and something warm and wet against my head made me roll over with a loud howl. I heard the others shuffle in alarm behind me as I fell back into the dirt and faced what had startled me.

"The fuck-is that a-" Francis started.

"Horse." Ellis finished for him.

The brown and white Horse had spooked and reared at my loud noise, now eying us all with the whites of its eyes showing around the edges. It began to turn away, stopping to turn back and simply turn its head to the side. My lungs finally allowed air back into my body. I could still feel its hot breath on my head as it nickered. It finally clicked that it had licked me.

"The fuck." Francis spoke again. The to words a full statement instead of a question.

Now recovered from its fear the animal lowered its head and sniffed at the ground where I had been laying, since I had jumped more than several feet away. With few more curious sounds it stomped one hoof and began to turn away, finding no more interest in the people left staring after it. Watching from behind I could see the animal had eaten well. The abundant grass clearly doing its work. But its back and flank were littered with scratched and scars, some fresh, and a good chunk of its side had been taken out.

Aside from the wounds, it looked all for the world as if it had never been touched. And walked away like it had never seen us. It payed us no more attention as it continued to walk calmly away, and no one spoke for several minutes as we watched.

"Hmm." Was all Rochelle said, looking at Zoey and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, we know that Horse's are immune."

Her voice was calm, making my head turn stiffly to look at her, eyes wide. Francis looked about the same.

"The fuck?"

"You've said that enough. It was just a Horse." Bill twisted his torso to loosen his back. My mouth dropped open even more, unable to grasp just how they hadn't seemed surprised at any point.

"Just a-It had pieces taken out of it!"Francis raised his voice in disbelief as he stared in the animals direction. Ellis grabbed my arm and lifted me to two feet, dusting off my shirt.

"Ew. You've got Horse slobber in yer hair." He pointed out, swatting the strands of wet hair as if it would help, and I scrunched my nose with a small growl.

"I honestly didn't peg you with a fear of Horses, Francis." Nick smirked, finding amusement in teasing the Biker.

"The fuck? It was a fucking Horse! I hate Horses!" He shouted gruffly, glancing at me once and then studding me closer a second time. "You've got something gross in your hair."

* * *

**That seemed random but wait.**

**Just wait.**

**And I couldn't resist Francis' reaction.**


	5. Of Screams and Screamers

**Wow, so, after taking too long on this, I apologize for the long wait. I'm going to try and be better about that.**

* * *

By the time we got moving the sky was just beginning to turn blue. Our small marching line clumsily moved over overgrown weeds and grass as we walked along the border of the town.

As the town limits came into view I began to quicken my own pace, listening to the small thump my hands and feet made on the hard packed dirt and roads as I passed over them.

I could here Ellis whistling behind me, and whether he was doing it to get my attention or to just make noise, Nick didn't care. His snide comments rolled off his tongue, causing the whistling to stop suddenly with a sharp retort.

I continued walking, glancing my eyes over the whole of the fence. In some places the razor wire had run short, and small gaps opened up at the top. It wasn't a question whether or or not I could jump it, it was the question of the others following.

We could find useful things in it, given it's 'secure' nature, but if I was the only one who could clear the fence it wasn't on the day's plans. The town looked thoroughly deserted. Infected can climb fences. Not to mention Tanks and Chargers could knock them down.

But these fences were all standing.

Looking over my shoulder I could see they had all for the most part stopped. Most likely to break up what ever scuffle had started for the 400th time. Biting my lip, I glanced at the closest gap, then back at my group. With a quick jerk I launched over the fence, intending to stay hidden.

I landed on the opposite concrete with a grunt, shaking my head to move my hair from my face. For a moment I felt guilty, running off again, but I figured it would be worth it if I could find anything. A moment of second guessing made me stand at the fence, but ever so stiffly I moved into base of the road, slowly shaking my head back and forth to check for any danger.

Despite its 'protective' walls, the town was a mess. Small fires, crashed cars, collapsed houses, dead bodies. It was a large mess, but something that didn't really catch me off guard. Despite the crackling of the nearby flames, it was quiet enough that I could here my own claws tap the hard ground beneath me.

I could hear Ellis calling for me, not only my name but the nickname he had given me. 'Pup' had been his name for me from the beginning, since he had trusted me a little quicker than I had anticipated. Its meaning had been affectionate and friendly, but now all it sounded like was fear. Like an owner calling for his beloved dog. Ellis really didn't want to lose me.

Calling myself a dog brought surprise to my mind, but it really did sound like it. I nearly turned right around, but deciding I was already in trouble I might as well continue.

The town was deserted and broken all the way through. Most of the stores had broken windows and I didn't bother looking through them.

Back in the opposite town that porch door had been open, and all I found were dead bodies stacked higher than the sofa. Proof that someone had gone insane. But of course Nick had to walk in at the wrong time, and he now doubt had a thought that I had done something.

Feeling more guilt swell in my stomach I realized I didn't even know which way I had come from. My mind had wandered and I found myself staring at the walls to my side. I had been walking down the same road in a small town so I knew it wouldn't be like the first town.

Deciding to move towards the left perimeter, I gripped my claws into the side of a sturdy building. The sign on the front was hanging by two nails and the letters were worn weather and heat, and who knows what else. Pulling myself to the roof like a bear climbing a tree, I stood at full height on the roof.

I had really only been paranoid. The small form of the other Survivors were all walking along the fence in my direction. Letting out a loud screech, Zoey was the first to look my way, staring at me for a moment before my image registered.

"Hey, I found the Ding-dong." She called over, and everyone joined her stare. Even from this distance I could see Ellis' almost hurt expression. Nick just looked blank.

I jumped down into the dead grass that surrounded the house and ran my eyes over the fence, looking for a gap. I was busted anyway, not that I had made a big effort to hide, but this town seemed empty anyway.

Jumping over a few fallen planks of wood, I sighted the first gap only a few feet away. Walking behind what appeared to be a simple peach colored house, the palms of my hands sank suddenly into mud. The dark colored earth noticeably more moist than...everything.

It had just happened considering it hadn't been soaked up completely, and as I trailed my eyes over the small path it had traveled down I saw the pail of water, most likely to serve the purpose of watering a dog at some point, judging by a few old and dusty toys.

I stepped inside the open door that hung loosely off its hinges on the back steps. The house was dark. Things were thrown and broken, but no bodies flooded the floor this time.

A quiet gasp made me turn with a painful jerk, looking in the closet that sat just to my left. Acid yellow eyes glowed horribly bright. No pupil or iris was even visible, just the sme yellow color. It stepped out lightly, the Common coming closer as if to sniff me, but I pulled back slowly, looking him over slowly.

The hair was greasy and black, laying down like he had flattened it with an iron. His skin was pale and bruised, a torn jacket had once held his arms to his chest, but now he clung to the carpet with a slightly open mouth, sharp teeth having bitten his lip at some point.

This was not a Common, but I had never seen a Special like him. His breathing was rapid and shallow, almost fearful. I wasn't sure if he could even see, the only indication that his eyes were even moving was the light shine that the pale light made on his yellow eyes. A small whine left his mouth, and I couldn't tell if he was afraid of me or somewhat relieved.

He stared at me for a few moments, then finally sat back closing his mouth and never breaking eye contact. His light blue pants were covered in blood stains and his white jacket wasn't much better.

I made a small noise, a noise that most Hunters made and that he would be formiliar with if he had found one before. But the look on his face became blank, eyes still wide and mouth hanging back open. It just as quickly turned calm and almost pleased, a small giggle leaving its throat. The giggle intensified to a hard laughter, shaking its body with the effort.

I backed up, trying for the door, but was cut off when he shot to his feet, stitting back infront of it with a gasp and another giggle. I had now flatenned to the floor, feeling uncomfortable and slightly intimadated. He seemed to see my body language, and he leaned forward, his arms held close to his stomach as if doubling over. He slowly got closer, never blinking as drool fell from his chin with the blank expression.

His very appearance began to scare me, yellow eyes, sharp teeth, and an overall look of some man you would see in a NightmareHe seemed almost confused, not sure whether I was human or Infected. I no doubt had the other Survivors smell on me, and he inhaled deeply several times. On the other hand, he seemed almost delighted to actually see me, if he could at all.

I cleared my throat, letting a small whine slip as I slowly slinked past him and through the door. His head followed me all the way, his expression the same blank stare as he leaned in inches from my shoulders. It was extremely unnerving, like the feeling I had gotten back in the sewers in New Orleans. I knew he was watching me and I didn't know when he would spring.

The moment my hand touched the back step he shouted in alarm, reaching out to pull me back. I screetched, stumbling into the dirt and trying to jump back over the fence. Just as I grabbed the chain-link he snatched my shirt, wrapping his arm around my waist and trying to pull me off with a manic giggle. My fingers slipped and we both fell back into the dirt, now both arms wrapped around my waist.

I howled for the others, having no idea how close they were. I rolled over and clawed the dirt, trying to pull away, but his grip was tightening and keeping the air from my lungs.

His laughter esculated into hysterics, almost mimicing a Jockey's, and I squelled loudly, and finally deciding that wasn't enough, I screamed.

I hadn't made such a sound in such a long time that it almost startled me with how loud it actually was. The tell-tale Hunter sound made the Screamer pause with a small intake of breath, pinning me face down in the dirt.

I let out another howling scream, the noise reverberating through the quiet town. The Zombie froze, his hands still pushed between my shoulder blades. I growled and kicked my feet, but he still kneeled, frozen. I looked up to see what had caught his attention.

Eight Survivors stood in suprise and alarm a few feet from the fence, none daring to move. The Infected's breathing became rapid and panicky, his hand loosening from my shirt as he slowly stood, chest heaving as he began to back up.

With a scream that sounded remarkably like my own, he turned and ran past the house, knocking into anything that stood in his way as he continued to wail into the town. His screams began to slowly die as he ran farther and farther, his voice never stopping. No one moved, expecting a horde to come climbing over the fences and through the trees, drawn by the loud noise, which easily could be my fault as well. But as his screams died nothing came, and nearly all at once, everyone breathed.

I sat back on my legs, catching my breath as my throat throbbed slightly from having made such a loud sound, something that I was not used to.

"Boy, you get yer ass over this fence right now." Coach demanded, not quiet a yell, but comanding all the same. I climbed over the gap at the top, falling over the side and into the grass at the bottom. Francis grabbed the back of my shirt, lifting me off the ground and holding me in the air next to his hip.

"You're damn lucky nothing came." He growled, throwing me back into the ground with enough force to bring up a cloud of dust. Ellis grabbed my arm, yanking me to stand on two feet and dusted me off without a word.

"Well, lets just get outta here 'fore somethin' does." He finally said, walking on without a second glance. "You both were loud enough to attract anything,"

I stood, watching as they all began to walk again, but my arms and legs were shaking, and I stumbled before I moved five feet. Nick looked back, but didn't offer help.

* * *

**In case yout havn't heard about him before, the Infected that attacked Chip was the Screamer, a Boss zombie that never made it to the game. He was made to run and hide when he saw you, and scream when he had found a place to hide, attracting a horde of zombies as he did. but it was decided that he was too difficult for Survivors to find and kill, so they gave his laugh (his warning so you knew he was there) to the Jockey, his scream to the Hunter, and his horde attraction to the Boomer.**

**The Hunter was not in the Screamer version of the game, and I'm not sure about the Jockey, but the Boomer was only made to explode and cause damage only in that way.**

**I hadn't intended putting him in here, but I finally decided I wanted to, for reasons ahead in the story.**


	6. Of long walks and long nights

**Almost 8 months since this last updated yeha**

**Oh my gosh I'm so sorry for the long wait.**  
**I actually had this finished awhile ago, but my laptop battery (which belonged to a rather new laptop) gave out, and we had to order a new one, and then I just kind of**

**forgOT BUt anyway, I know this is short, but I figured an update was needed.**

The day wore on. The heat growing slightly, but cooling as the sun began to set. The screams of the strange infected were only heard a few distant times as he made his rounds through the abandoned town. Becoming visible only once as he tore through the streets in what I could only see as pure horror on his face.

Coach and Ellis had moved to the front of our line, with me tailing, and I silently began to wonder just how much ground we were making to the river. We were still a few days travel away, but I didn't feel like my arms and legs could carry me that far.

The broken roads dug into my palms, and the over grown weeds pulled at everyone as we passed, stinging as their sharp leaves and barbs scratched our skin.

Atlanta had been relatively clean, and even our little off-the-road neighborhood was closely looked after. Weeds were something I wasn't too happy to walk through, but our current pace didn't allow for me to carefully step over. Not at my height.

"Bill, I can smell your beard from here." Francis made the off-hand comment, looking over his shoulder at the town that disappearing from view. "The heat is spoiling your hair."

"Quiet, Francis." Bill murmured, but brushed his fingers through the white hair anyway. "You aren't smelling to daisy-fresh yourself."

Francis snorted, holding his hand above his eyes to look over his shoulder. The town was in the distance, a small black blur.

I quickened my pace, coming to a slow trot and falling beside Ellis, who had taken off his hat and was fanning his face and neck. He looked down at me for a moment, giving a short smile and replacing his hat. The hat was beginning to look a bit sad. Dirty, worn, and just a bit gross to be sitting on his head, as if it would make him stop wearing it.

We walked in silence, fanning out along the burning road that was gradually beginning to cool as the sunlight faded. Once the town had disappeared from sight, it seemed as if no others existed. Grass and road were the only things stretching in either direction, and sleeping in the open, despite no sign of infection, was an uncomfortable thought.

Finally, once the sky had grown black and we were stumbling in the dark, Coach stopped and turned. "I think it'd be best if we just call it'a night." A head of us, he pointed to a dip on the side of the road. A small hole in the yellow grass that would serve passably as a place to sleep.

It was a tight fit, and with the complaints of Francis saying Nick's legs were touching him, all nine human bodies had been curled inside the dip well enough to be hidden from sight of the road, albeit, uncomfortably.

The night wore on quietly, and no one spoke. Despite the sun having gone down, the air was still thick and humid, the ground the only cool thing against my body, and for some time, I wished that I still had my jacket.

I was awoken from a light doze by the thick hand coach gripping my shoulder, pulling me off of the ground and pulling me to lean against the slope of the hole, where the grass had grown longer. He held a hand up to my mouth as I made a protesting snort, and pointed with his thumb down the road.

Headlights. Bright yellow headlights.

Nick, on my opposite side, scoffed. "Military." He muttered, and sure enough as the lights came closer, I could see the camouflage coloring on the trucks and small jeeps.

As they drove past, we ducked under the grass, like rabbits hiding from a fox. The sound of the heavy tires was almost foreign, I hadn't heard it in so long.

When I dared to look up again, the vehicles had slowed, the farthest one in the back coming to a complete stop. A man in a military style uniform jumped out quickly, waving to the trucks in front. He was running towards something that had fallen out, and I had to squint in order to see it clearly.

A small body, battered and bloodied, was lying in the road, apparently having fallen from a truck more towards the middle of the group. Tire marks were visible on an arm, clearly having been run over by the truck that had stopped. He lifted the body, tossing it on his shoulder and jogged back to the truck in the center.

He flopped the dead body into the truck bed, like a sack of flour, and closed the tail gate which must have fallen open. Before it had closed, I could catch a glimpse of the pile of dead bodies in the back, illuminated by the headlights of the last truck, which the man ran to get back into.

"They've got a truck full of dead people..." Louis whispered, and I could feel my skin crawl as the truck continued. I looked after them, in the direction of the empty town, and I began to wonder;

Why had that town been so empty?

**So, hopefully, I'll be a bit more regular about my updates.**

**I hope you enjoyed :D**


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